It's not much, but it is something...

[pat]

Given all the shenanigans in Nevada and Oregon, I thought I'd pass this along.

If you show up at the polls, and are told you are ineligible to vote, under the Help America Vote Act, you have the right to fill out a provisional ballot. This ballot will be held and eligibility issues resolved after Election Day. Furthermore, according to HAVA, your vote has to be counted for any races you may legitimately vote in. If, for example, you are listed in a different precinct than that in which you live, your vote may not count in local races, but will in statewide and nationwide races.

It is not a regular ballot, and in my mind is still open to some manipulation, but it is better than nothing.

Currently several states are arguing that they do not have to provide provisional ballots if a voter goes to a wrong precinct, but only if they were mistakenly left off the polls. (This seems to fly in the face of the clear intent of the law, as I -- and the League of Women Voters -- read it.). This issue is currently before the courts.

This is a public post -- please feel free to pass it along.

Comments

[joedecker.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the reminder. Remembering my own two stints working the polls, Santa Clara county pollworker training did seem (if I recall correctly, and I may not) to suggest that people needed to vote at their specific polling place if it was still in the county they lived in,
but then went on to say that in any case of doubt the voter should always be allowed to cast a provisional ballot. Sounds like they're on the wrong side of the law on the first part, but at least they were very clear on the right to a provisional ballot.

That polling districts and places tend to change from election to election often leads
people to the wrong polling place—in San Jose, this is usually a matter of a handful
of blocks and is a minor inconvienence, but a system which really was designed to allow
people to vote from any valid polling location would be a vast improvement. (A lot
more difficult logistically, but a vast improvement to be sure.)

[bellacrow.livejournal.com]

quick question. Apparently my bf has never been registered to vote, and he didnt fill out his voter registration info on time here in IL. Could this apply to him as well?

[patgreene.livejournal.com]

According to the Illinois State Board of Elections, he's missed the deadline (http://www.elections.state.il.us/voteinfo/pages/Register.htm) and would not be eligible to vote even by provisional ballot.

[bellacrow.livejournal.com]

ack, *sigh* thanks